Train control.



F. WETZEL.

TRAIN GONTROL.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 27, 1914.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IHII NORRIS Pk 1148; (In M4010 I If!!!) \VASHINKIIUN, u (.1

F. WETZEL.

TRAIN CONTROL.

APPLIGATION FILED rmmv, 1914.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

attozweq (HE NORRIS PETERS c0.. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGT earn ATES PAT FFICE.

FREDERICK WETZEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 0F FORTY ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO JULIUS K. M. WAIBEL, OF NEW YORK,

TRAIN CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915.

Application filed February 27, 1914. Serial No. 821,497.

ceive the transmitted signals within the confines of his cab.

A further object is to effect the retardlng of the progress of the locomotive by the signal; and a still further object is to efi'ect the stopping of the locomotive when the semaphore is set for a corresponding reading. And to these ends the invention consists of a trip member positioned 1n the roadbed between the rails, means located in a signal-tower for actuating the said tripmember and means carried by the locomotive and adapted to be operated'by the said trip member for controlling the progress of the train.

Other objects will appear and be better understood from that embodiment of my invention of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is an explanatory view showing the coiiperating members of the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the speed controlling members carried by the locomotive. Fig. 1 is a detail side elevational view of the actuating arms for cooperating with the members on the locomotive. Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the member located within the signal tower. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portable arm for operating one of the elements carried by the locomotive for stopping the train.

As shown in the drawings a indicates the trip member which is preferably positioned in the road-bed between. the rails and in suitable spaced relation to a signal tower b in which is located a member 0 for actuating the trip a by the connection d. The trip a is so positioned in the road that it will contact with the members e and 7, carried by the locomotive for retarding and stopping the train, respectively, and also contact with the member it for operating an audible signal is preferably located in the cab of the locomotive.

The trip member a is formed of a shaft 5 which. is rotatably positioned in the road-bed between the rails and is provided at one end with the large sheave 6 over which passes the connection d after being first trained over the smaller idler sheaves 77, as shown in Fig. l.

Mounted rigidly on the shaft and in suitable spaced relation with each other are a series of radially positioned arms 8, which are adapted to project above the surfaces of the rails and have journaled in their ends the rollers 10. It is obvious that by the action of the connection cl here shown in the form of the cable 11, any one of the arms may be disposed perpendicularly to the surface of the road-bed, as desired.

The member 0 for operating the trip mem ber is preferably located in the signal-tower and is adapted to be actuated by the towerman, or if desired, this member 0 may be included in the semaphore system. The member 0 consists of a large sheave 12 mounted on one end of the shaft 12, which shaft is journaled on the supports 13 and is adapted to be rotated by the lever 14. This lever has the usual spring-pressed finger 15 which engages in the notches 16 located in the periphery of the sheave 12, as shown. A segmental end-plate 13 is carried by the support 13 and is provided with a centrally located opening 17, for the purpose of viewing the legends 18 marked on the side of the sheave as shown in Fig. 5. It will be noted here that these legends are adapted to show through the opening 17 and thus record the position of the trip-member a; however, it is to be understood that this form of recording means is shown for the purposes of illus tration, and manifestly any other recording means may be used equally well. The cables 11 after passing the idlers 7 adjacent to the trip-member continue to the idlers 1919 adjacent to the tower b, and then pass over the large sheave 12 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5; thus by actuating the member a, a corresponding movement is effected by the tripmember a and the action is recorded as above described.

As shown in Fig. 1, the members a, f and it, are carried by the locomotive m, so that the shoes 20 will depend therefrom and be in a horizontal plane with the end of the arms 8 when the arms are in the perpendicular position. The shoes are located'in a bifurcated pocket 21 mounted on the under part of the locomotive and are pivoted therein at one end, as indicated by 22. It will be noted by referring to Fig. 2, that each arm 8 has its respective shoe 22 adapted to contact therewith, and for this reason the shoes are arranged in longitudinal alinement with the arms. Pivotally carried by each shoe 22 at the free end thereof, is a vertical rod 23 which is adapted to perform its respective function when actuated by the shoe, as will be presently explained.

When it is desired to stop the train by an operator in the signal tower b, the member 0 is'rotated by the lever 14 until the letter S appears 011 record, as shown. This action sets vertically the arm 8 alining with the member 7, and it will be noted that as the train passes over this arm, the free end of the shoe will be substantially cammed up by the roller 10 on the arm, thus raising the rod 22 and opening the exhaust-valve 24 of the air-brake system, which is connected thereto. When it is desired to only retard the speed of the train, the member 0 is rotated so as to show the legend R whereupon the middle arm 8 will be positioned vertically and the member 0 will be actuated, thus closing the steam-supply valve 25 which is connected to this member as shown. When a clear track is signaled the tower mechanism is actuated which records the legend and the third arm 8 is raised vertically, thus actuating the shoe in member it; the rod 23 carried by this shoe is adapted to close the circuit of an electricsignal, which rings and announces to the I engine-driver of a clear track. It will be noted here that the pocket 21, which harbors theshoe 22, is substantially cam-shaped and as the train passes over the arms 8, the pocket tends to cam the set arm back to its inoperative position after the shoe 22 is actu'ate'd thereby. It will also be noted that the stop arm is provided at its opposite end with a Weight 26, which adapts the arm to be normally set as shown in Figs. 1 and 4; thus, should no signal be given to the train, the same will stop automatically as 29 to be directed into the notch 31, and secure the sheave against movement and with the arm for stopping the train in its raised or operative position.

The portable trip-arm shown in Fig. 6, consists of a rigid arm 32 provided with a roller 33', at its end and carried by a support 34 which is adapted to straddle a pair of cross-ties and be detachably secured thereto by the bolts 35 as shown. It is obvious that this tripmember can be placed at any desired location on the track and therefore it is especially adapted to function as a signal or even to stop the train in the case of a wash-out, wreck or'the like.

If desired a suitable recording mechanism may be connected to the device in any wellknown manner, whereby to keep a monthly record of the various movements of the device. v

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claim. V

VVha't is claimed as new is:

In. a train control, the combination of a trip-member provided with a series of radial arlns'adapted to be positioned in the path of the train, means for actuating the said arms, a flexible element connecting the actuating means and the trip-member, and a series of members carried by the locomotive and adapted to be operated by the said arms for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses;

FREDERICK WETZEL.

Witnesses M. E. LAUGHLIN, Geo. A. BYRNE.

Copies. oi this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddres'sing the commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

